13/07/2026
„Could you imagine your next dental treatment being performed by a miniature robot? 🤖🦷“
At our Clinic of Reconstructive Dentistry Prothetik Universität Zürich , Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich Universität Zürich UZH , Professor .e.jung , PD Dr. Jenni Hjerppe , and .med.dent.marc.balmer initiated and lead the development of the Miniature Intraoral Robot (MIR).
The vision is simple: based on a digital treatment plan, MIR will prepare a tooth with exceptional precision, allowing a final restoration to be fabricated and placed within the same appointment while preserving as much healthy tooth structure as possible.
We have already demonstrated the technical feasibility of automated tooth preparation and achieved a high level of precision with a working prototype. MIR represents an exciting step towards the future of digital dentistry and has the potential to fundamentally transform restorative dental workflows.
A huge thank you to all colleagues and research teams at Department of Biomedical Engineering - University of Basel , , and , as well as everyone who contributed to this interdisciplinary collaboration. 🙌
(Video: Carina Schmidt, Murali Karnam and Yukiko Tomooka. License: CC-BY-ND)
The team of Clinic of Reconstrucitve Dentistry. University of Zurich:
Prof. Ronald Jung, PD Dr. Jenni Hjerppe, Dr. Marc Balmer
(Image: Ronald Jung, Jenni Hjerppe and Marc Balmer. License: CC-BY-ND)
The prototype of the new Miniature Intraoral Robot (MIR) is approximately the size of a thumb. It is small enough to fit comfortably inside an open mouth, where it can be securely positioned.
(Image: Carina Schmidt, Murali Karnam, and Yukiko Tomooka. License: CC BY.)
The MIR Team from left to right:
Dr. Murali Karnam (BIROMED Lab at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Basel), Prof. Ronald Jung (Clinic of Reconstructive Dentistry, University of Zurich), Prof. Manuela Eugster (Neuro Robotics Group, ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, University of Bern and Inselspital, Bern University Hospital), Dr. Yukiko Tomooka (BIROMED Lab), PD Dr. Jenni Hjerppe (UZH Clinic of Reconstructive Dentis
